In 2010 a "bar code" livery was removed from the Ferrari cars after complaints that it represented subliminal advertising for Marlboro. Ferrari said it did so to end speculation and had never intended the code to be associated with the brand.

"It is verging on the ridiculous to claim that the colour red or a graphic design which shows a bar code could induce people to smoke," former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said at the time. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)

​​This comes as a surprise to the industry as Rakesh was recently elevated to the position of Directo Sales and Marketing which was the third promotion for him in six years of his tenure in the company.